Are we getting all we can out of the A900?

[douglasf13]

yeah, I see no difference in brightness, and others have confirmed this. It seems odd that there's a special setting for this screen, so there must be some kind of difference??

 

[edwardkaraa]

yeah, I see no difference in brightness, and others have confirmed this. It seems odd that there's a special setting for this screen, so there must be some kind of difference??

It's probably for the meter to take into account the grid lines. Also differences within 1/2 stop shouldn't be visible by eye.

 

[Lars]

It's probably for the meter to take into account the grid lines. Also differences within 1/2 stop shouldn't be visible by eye.

There could also be differences in how the screen projects the light passing through.

 

[douglasf13]

I'll test it later on, but I've heard from some that say they notice no exposure difference when they change the screen setting from regular to gridded in the options. Regardless, there is little noticeable difference between the two in brightness.

 

[jonoslack]

Yeah, it's a common misunderstanding that many of the tech guys on various forums have a hard time explaining. Sensor technology and size ends up playing more of a role than pixel size, although there has been a massive wave of "small pixel=bad" in the last few years. What people always forget is that comparisons should be made at like viewing size. Pixel size is going to continue to get smaller and smaller, as technology allows more info to pass through the camera quickly, and our image quality will continue to improve. Assuming my computer can handle it, and the fps of the camera are enough for me, I'll always choose more pixels.

What an excellent point. More sampling kind of HAS to be better (as long as the processing is up to the task).
I've never really thought of it this way around (and certainly never seen it put quite this way), although I've always felt that more pixels on a same size sensor were going to convey a benefit.

 

[douglasf13]

It's probably for the meter to take into account the grid lines. Also differences within 1/2 stop shouldn't be visible by eye.

I did a little testing just sitting here at my desk, and changing the focus screen setting in the menu back and forth between type "G" and "L" doesn't seem to affect the metering at all. Of course, type "M" does. This leads me to believe that the L screen is more or less identical in brightness to the stock G screen. The lines are very light, and this doesn't surprise me too much.

 

[edwardkaraa]

What an excellent point. More sampling kind of HAS to be better (as long as the processing is up to the task).
I've never really thought of it this way around (and certainly never seen it put quite this way), although I've always felt that more pixels on a same size sensor were going to convey a benefit.

Absolutely. One of the benefits is that beyond a certain pixel density, the AA filter won't be required. Actually the higher the pixel number, the weaker the AA filter is. The draw back is that for people who check images at 100% (such as stock agencies) you have more chances to be rejected

 

[douglasf13]

.... The draw back is that for people who check images at 100% (such as stock agencies) you have more chances to be rejected

Good point, although you could probably just downsize your tiff before sending it to the stock agency, right?

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

I did a little testing just sitting here at my desk, and changing the focus screen setting in the menu back and forth between type "G" and "L" doesn't seem to affect the metering at all. Of course, type "M" does. This leads me to believe that the L screen is more or less identical in brightness to the stock G screen. The lines are very light, and this doesn't surprise me too much.

Thanks for all the input. I've ordered the grid screen.

Bill

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

Grid screen arrived yesterday and was installed today. My horizons are already more level!
Bill

 

[jonoslack]

Grid screen arrived yesterday and was installed today. My horizons are already more level!
Bill

Hi Bill
I hope you'll be very happy together . . . . but only sad bastards want level horizons :ROTFL:

 

[douglasf13]

Ha! I actually use mine mostly for 4x5 framing, and I make sure not to pay attention to it for horizons, so they remain un-level as ever.

 

[jonoslack]

Ha! I actually use mine mostly for 4x5 framing, and I make sure not to pay attention to it for horizons, so they remain un-level as ever.

phew . . it'd be impossible to consider you a sad bastard Douglas . . but if you were going to insist on level horizons then the problem would have been insurmoutable.

erm. . . I really must stop posting and go to bed, the second bottle of Pouilly Fume could prove to have been a mistake (hic)

 

[fotografz]

Hi Bill
I hope you'll be very happy together . . . . but only sad bastards want level horizons :ROTFL:

That's it! I'm installing mine tomorrow ... it's been sitting on my desk for weeks. Ever since my right knee went bone-to-bone ... I can't seem to get the horizon straight ... it'll also help when I start stooping over like Quasimoto with a camera :ROTFL:

 

[Bill Caulfeild-Browne]

There are quite a few people think I'm a sad bastard already (Mum disagrees...) but I do like horizons either level or clearly deliberately tilted - like you after the second bottle of PF, I expect...

Prefer good California Chardonnays myself - though my Aussie friends make some wicked ones too, and there's a few good ones coming out of Chile these days and...oh heck, I just like wine!

Bill

 

[Jonathon Delacour]

Prefer good California Chardonnays myself - though my Aussie friends make some wicked ones too, and there's a few good ones coming out of Chile these days and...oh heck, I just like wine!

Well, here's one Aussie who'd willingly trade a dozen bottles of Chardonnay for a single bottle of Pouilly-Fumé.

 

[dhsimmonds]

I'm quite fond of some of the good New Zealand chardonnay's but the Poilly-Fume and Poilly-Fousse win every time for me too. Why else is it that I can't afford the Zeiss 135!! Oh, darn it, hic, there goes another sloping horizon!:ROTFL:

 

[Lars]

and there's a few good ones coming out of Chile these days

Then imagine the ones they keep to themselves.

 

[jonoslack]

erm.
back to sobriety, I think we need to get our grape varieties right here
Pouilly-Fumé. is from the Loire, and is made with Sauvignon grapes

Pouilly Fuissé is made from Chardonnay grapes in the Burgundy region.

Quite a different thing, although, both are delicious.

When I can't get such delicacies on the cheap from waitrose I'm rather partial to New Zealand sauvignon, and Chilean come to that! If I could afford it I'd prefer to get my Chardonnay's from Burgundy ever time (but I can't).
:lecture:

 

[Arne Hvaring]

erm.
If I could afford it I'd prefer to get my Chardonnay's from Burgundy ever time (but I can't).
:lecture:

Amen to that. Although I've found the Saint Aubains to offer quite good value (for a Burgundy, that is).